The aim is to improve understanding of the neurological organization of the speech and language system by determining the correspondence between long term sequelae of penetrating head injuries and the location and size of brain lesions. Neuroradiological coding of brain structures from CT scans and measurement of lesion volume within brain regions is conducted independent of experimental speech production, speech perception and language processing studies. In a study completed this year, patients with residual expressive syntatic deficits were identified and compared with patients who recovered from Broca's aphasia within 5 years following head injury. The language test results demonstrated a specific syntactic residual in language expression, comprehension and reading and writing in addition to non-fluent speech in the non-recovered group. The only residual deficit in the recovered group was in written syntax. CT scan results of the two groups demonstrated that Broca's area was involved in both groups. Only the nonrecovered patients with syntactic deficits and non-fluent speech had the lesions which extended posteriorly to involve Wernicke's area, the underlying white matter and the caudate. Subject testing for the entire project will be completed in September 1984, including over 500 head-injured cases and 100 non-head injured veterans. Data analysis will continue for a full year examining groups with specific speech and language residuals.